Roll for printing presses and method of making same



sept. 29, 1925.

G. M. STEVENS ROLL FOR PRINTING PRESSES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed oct. 24. 1925 v Alz'vI/ENTOR. kaaf/Kfrfnews' ATTORNEYS. A'

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mg P `normal smooth-state as the roll is moved Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE I. QF BAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

nom. ron rnm'rme r: 1-

Application :Bled Uetober 24, 1928. Serial lo. 670,588.`

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. STEVENS, a citizen of therUnited States, and a resident lof San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Roll for Printing Presses and Method of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention A,relates to rolls for printing presses and has for its primary object the provision of a novel device of this character which shall lbe simple of construction, strong and durable and particularly characterized by an elastic facing which inherently yields and adapts itself to the type during the inkroeess and which freely aumes a out of contact with the type, and which said surface is so formed whereby it is not liable to deteriorate prematurely.

A further objecrt of the invention resides in the provision of means which will give fmaximum life to the roll and wherein the elastic imprinting surface thereof will be capable of withstanding considerable rough .usage without impairing said surface, and, wherein, from the nature of the materials employed, said surface will not disintegrate while in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inking roll having a novel imprinting surface of an elastic nature wherein said surface will constantly maintain a position in parallelism with the axis of the roll.

My invention, therefore, comprises certain new features of construction and arent and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims annexed hereto.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the roll, Figure 2 is an end view of the roll; Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into practice I employ a spindle (.5) having end trunnions 6-6 of usual construction. The spindle is provided with sectional spaced caps 7-7 whose sections (7") 'are provided with frustoconical cavities (8) surrounding the spindle in spaced relation thereto. Said sections (7*) are threaded to the sections (7") shown .at (8*) and where the sections meet, I employ sealing gaskets (8b).

The roll body consists of an outer facing (9) of hollow cylindrical construction. This to fit over the en of the cap sections (7).

.The purpose of this construction will'be descri'bed in vdetail as vthe description pro* gresses. v

In order that the soft elastic facing ma be maintained in true parallel relation wit the spmdle (5), and whereby said facing will be uniformly'held against bulging in an outward direction toward serious distortion that would interrupt or destroy this mtended condition of the parts, I provide a cellular core (11) which is preferably in theA nature of sponge rubber vulcanized to the inner walls of the outer elastic surface (9) and at (9*) to afhard rubber sleeve 12, the latter being vulcanized to the spindle (5) between the aforesaid-caps 7-7. By providlng the sponge rubberv core with comcal ends as shown which t' the correspondlngcavlties (8) in said caps (7) it is manifest that there is an induced tendency created by frictional engagement of the walls of said cavities (8) against said conical ends to maintain close confinement of the sponge rubber core to limit its longitudinal elongation on the application of stress thereto. The spindle (5) now acts as a rigid or inflexible support orbacking for the sponge rubber core and when pressure is brought upon the surface (9) on contact with the type, said surface is freely responsive to the action of pressure thus created and same properly adapts itself to surface inequalities of the type. By interposing the sponge rubber core (11) between the spindle (5) and the inner walls of the surface (9) such cushioning action is set up so as to insure maximum delicate resiliency necessary to a uniform application of ink to the type when the surface 9) ,is brought into engagement therewith.

I find in practice that a roll constructed A in this manner is exceedingly pliable and elastic and that the imprinting surface of the roll always maintains a positlon in parallelism with the axis of the roll and that by providing a soft rubber surface (9) of suitable texture and a coacting backing (11) of cellular elastic material the roll is exceedingly strong and durable and is capable of withstanding considerable rough us e without prematurely disintegrating the e ective imprinting surface of the roll.

While I have described a core (11)/ of cellular material it shall be understood that this is for illustration primarily and although I find it most desirable for the purpose intended I do not wish to be limited to the use of this specific material. I am particularly interested in the two inherent ualities of the coacting materials of which t e surface (9) and core (11) are constructed and in this respect the core is ex-' ceedinglymore pliable than the outer imprinting surface, one being of close texture of soft rubber and the other of open texture or cellular arrangement.

In the process of manufacturing the roll, I

first vulcanize the sponge rubber (11) to the facing (9) and to the hard rubber sleeve, 12 and the latter to said spindle (5).4 At this time, I remove .the cap sections (7), whereby, in the vulcanizing process, all induced gasis free to escape through the vent holes (8) in the cap sections (7*). In this manner, I am able to safeguard against injuring the facing (9) in the vulcanizing process. After the parts are firmly vulcanized as aforesaid, the ca sections (7") are then connected with sai sections (7*) and brought to bear against said gaskets (8).

While the holes (8) are provided for the purpose of allowing the gas to escape from the structure during the vulcanizing process, it will be observed that when the rubber is in a hot state, it freely flows into said holes (8) and when the rubber dries and sets, the parts which fill said h oles serve to securely ix the rubber to the cap sections (7*). The arran ement as shown and described herein is suc that a roll is produced which is reliable of action; strong and durable, and one where the rubber parts (9), (9*) and (11) are joined to ther almost as a homogeneous inass and incident thereto, supported by the fact that these parts are firmly vulcanized to the cap sections (7") and the part (11) vulcanized to the hard rubber sleeve (12), it follows that said parts are positively held against casual relative rotation.

As previously stated, the ends of the cylindrical facing (9) are made to overlap the caps (7 I prefer an arrangement of this character' so that the ca are disposed inwardly of the eective g surface of the facing where said cap will not directly engage with the surface to be inked as the roll functions.

I claim:

L/The method of making rubber printing rolls vwhich comprises vulcanizing a soft russes rubber shell, spongy filler and rubber sleeve to a spindle and permitti any expansion and s caused throu h canizing to find rel2ie Aat thetends ofl1 t e roll. y dl prin ing ro comprising a spin e, caps secured to said spindle, a foundation sleeve of hard rubber embracing the spindle and vulcanized thereto, a body of sponge rubber embracing the foundation sleeve and vulcanized thereto and to said caps, and a facing of soft rubber embracing said body of sponge rubber and vulcanized thereto.

3. A printing roll comprising a spindle,

' caps secured to said spindle a foundation sleeve of hard rubber embracing the spindle and vulcanized thereto, a body of sponge rubber embracing the foundation sleeve and vulcanized thereto and to `said caps, and a facing of soft rubber embracing said bodyV of sponge rubber and vulcanized thereto, said facing having its ends overlapping rtions of said caps, and said sponge ru vber being confined between said caps.

4. A printing roll comprising a spindle,

caps secured -to said spindle, a foundation l sleeve embracing the spindle and vulcanized thereto, a body of sponge `rubber 'embracing the foundation sleeve and vulcanized thereto and to said caps, and a facing of soft rubber embracing said body of sponge rubber and vulcanized thereto, the caps having holes therein into which the rubber of the 'said body is adapted to ow during the vulcanizing process.

5. A rinting roll comprising a spindle, sectiona caps secured to said s indle, a foundation sleeve embracing the spindle and vulcanized thereto, a body of sponge rubber embracing the foundation sleeve and vulcanized thereto and to said caps, and a facing'of soft rubber embracing said body of sponge rubber and vulcanized thereto, one of said sections having holes therein into which the rubber of the body is adapted to flow during the vulc process and from which gas is permiitltg to escape as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A printing roll com rising a spindle having spaced caps, a rub r sleeve vulcanized to A.the spindle between the caps, a cylindrical body of spon e rubber vulcanized to said sleeve, and a facing of soft rubber vulcanized to said cylindrical body, one of said caps being perforated to permit escape of pressure generated in the vulcanizing process. 

